Frustrated Casamayor ready to resume career

Joel Casamayor wants to fight as often as possible before he retires in a year.

October 11, 2009 - 9:00 pm

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Joel Casamayor wants to fight as often as possible before he retires in a year.

There’s one problem, though, for the former world lightweight champion. His promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, hasn’t been able to place him in any fights.

Casamayor, 38, received permission from Golden Boy to fight on a Nov. 6 card at the Palms promoted by Fernando Vargas. His fight will be the co-main event to the Zab Judah-Ramon Montano welterweight bout.

But Casamayor is frustrated because the fight will be his first in almost 14 months, since losing to Juan Manuel Marquez on Sept. 13, 2008.

“I like to stay busy,” Casamayor said through an interpreter. “I don’t want to stand by and wait and watch others fight. I’m very anxious to get back in the ring.”

Casamayor is so eager that he will fight at 140 pounds for the first time when he meets an opponent to be determined at the Palms. The heaviest he has fought at was 139 pounds, when he beat Diego Corrales on Oct. 7, 2006, in the third fight of their great trilogy.

Casamayor (36-4-1, 22 knockouts) said he has been training in Miami the past few months.

“I feel great,” he said. “But I didn’t want to wait this long to fight again.”

Casamayor said his plan is to fight through 2010, then retire.

“Once I’m done fighting, no more boxing,” he said. “I don’t want to train or promote. When I stop fighting, that’s it.”

• THE KING IS BACK — Don King hasn’t been the lead promoter for a fight in Las Vegas since 2005, when Felix Trinidad fought Winky Wright. But King is back and will promote the first card at Treasure Island on Oct. 31.

In the main event, Joseph Agbeko will defend his IBF bantamweight title against Yohnny Perez. Also on the card is a WBC elimination bout between lightweights Tony DeMarco and Jose Alfaro.

• GREATEST EVER — The promoters of the “World’s Greatest Ever Boxer” have unveiled reduced ticket prices for local residents for the December event at Paris Las Vegas.

Tickets are on sale for the Dec. 12 USA vs. the World fight card and the Dec. 13 awards banquet. Prices are $65, $80, $100 and $150 for the card, which will feature the sons of several former world champions, including Aaron Pryor Jr., Ronald Hearns, Elijah McCall and John Jackson.

Tickets for the banquet, which will honor the winners in the eight “Greatest Fight” weight divisions, as well as Greatest Trainer, Greatest Promoter, Greatest Fight and Pound-for-Pound champion, begin at $150 and go to $1,000.

Voting has been ongoing for several months, with more than 50,000 votes cast online. To vote and to purchase tickets, go to greatestever.com.

Tickets also are on sale at the Paris box office. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Retired Boxers Foundation.

• WORLDS COLLIDE — The finals of the $175,000 “Worlds Collide” boxing/mixed martial arts tournament, scheduled for Saturday at Primm Valley Resorts, have been moved to January.

ESPN has expressed interest in televising the event and is working with Primm and promoters to find a mutually acceptable date.